


Coffee Laced Love

by MASEdiCE



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Also on Quotev, Coffee Shop, F/F, First Ao3 Story, I personally think its cute, Mostly Canon Compliant, Reader is written as a lesbian, ohshc, sorry - Freeform, yes the reader wears the yellow dress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:34:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25998349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MASEdiCE/pseuds/MASEdiCE
Summary: Dark roasted beans and splash of sweetness were the only ways someone could explain the first time (Y/N) really got to meet Haruhi Fujioka. Having a part-time job at one of her parent's many coffee shops proved to be incredibly useful to her when it became one of the many ways she got to know the new host a few of her friends raved about and she couldn't be more thankful. Maybe, they could get to know each other beyond the few visits Haruhi would make at her job and they could even become friends. (Also Posted on Quotev)
Relationships: Fujioka Haruhi/Reader
Comments: 9
Kudos: 91





	1. Introduction

The smell of freshly brewed coffee and espresso fills my senses as I push the glass door open to No-Doze Cafe, causing the bell above the door to let out a little jingle. A familiar face peeks out from behind the dark mahogany counter that held various canisters of sugar, creamer, and candy. A smile quickly appears upon the woman’s face when she recognizes me and she then proceeds to duck back behind the counter to continue fixing the various pastries on display in the enclosed glass case.

“How was school?” She asks, refusing to take her amber eyes off of the task at hand. A sigh manages to escape my lips as I walk towards her and then duck into the hallway to the right of where she was crouched over, proceeding to reach for one of the few dark red aprons lining the coat rack.

“Well,” I start, making quick work to tie a bow behind my back with the strings hanging off of the said apron, “It was… school, I guess.” I hear an exasperated sigh and a scuffle of the counter door sliding shut and the woman lumbers into the hallway, fixing a rather harsh glare on me then softening to a welcoming smile.

“Come on, (Y/N), we both know that’s not gonna cut it for me. Seriously, did any fights break out? Maybe a new relationship drama managed to reach your ears? You’ve got to have something to keep this old woman entertained for a few minutes,” She scolds, emphasizing the “old” and leaning against the wall with a hand on her right hip. I roll my eyes at her with a smile creeping on my face and push past her, making my way towards the sitting area to fix a few tables.

“We’re talking about Ouran, Chiyoko. If anything actually did happen I promise you would be the first one to know,” I reply, gazing back at her and then shaking my head. “Also, last time I checked, you’re only 47, which is barely even middle-aged.”  
A hand grabs my shoulder and spins me around, forcing me to make eye contact with the wide-eyed Chiyoko as she grasps for a piece of her dark brown hair. “Do you see this?!” She almost shouts, proudly showing a single piece of silver hair that she must have been looking for. “This is the mark of an old woman! So, stop trying to flatter me and tell me something before I pass out from my old shaking bones.” 

I offer her a lopsided grin and delicately remove her hand from my right shoulder and then caress my chin to feign thinking. “Well,” I begin, fixing a gaze upon the now intrigued Chiyoko, “I suppose we got a new transfer student.” Chiyoko clasps her hands together and shakes her head at me.

“Now, was that so hard? What’s their name? Are they in your grade? What do they look like?” She launches off into her version of twenty questions as I begin to fix the table cloth on the closest table and listen intently to each one she may have.

“Well, their name is Haruhi Fujioka -no it’s not a name you would know, trust me- and they’re in class 1-A along with me, Kimiko, and Momoka,” I reply watching as Chiyoko closes her mouth upon my answer to her unasked question. She then nods and walks back towards the order counter to continue her list of daily tasks. 

“I suppose that will do, for now. Fujioka huh… You’re right, that’s certainly not a name I recognize,” Chiyoko mutters, trying to figure whether or not she recognizes the family name.

“They’re not rich, Chiyoko. Hence why they’re a transfer student,” I say, trying to clear up her thoughts. A faint “oh” escapes the older woman’s lips and she nods in understanding. 

“Y’know, I always thought Ouran needed more of those types. It would really help humble some of the brats you call acquaintances,” Chiyoko admits as she grabs a rag to wipe down the counter. I feign a gasp and put a hand over my mouth.

“Are you calling me a brat, too?” I ask, trying to act as hurt as possible. A hearty laugh escapes the woman’s lips as she throws her head back and puts a hand on her heart. I laugh a little along with her and push a few chairs in to keep myself busy while Chiyoko tries to contain herself.

“Oh, trust me, honey, you’ve already humbled yourself enough while working part-time here for your parents, which is more than I can say for most who go to Ouran with you,” She finally utters out, whipping a few tears from her eyes with one hand.

“Come on, we both know that students aren’t allowed to have part-time jobs while in attendance at Ouran. The only reason I’m allowed to have one is because my parents own the company that this cafe is part of. Plus, this is the only way I get any extra spending money, which we both know I like to have,” I reply and finish up my current duty of fixing the seating area. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know the story all too well,” Chiyoko dismisses, waving a hand at me and then beckoning me to join her behind the counter. “I never really got the point of the whole ‘you’re not allowed to work while you’re a student’ thing that school has going on. Don’t you think they’d want everyone to have work experience since most of them are going on to own their parent’s companies? Can you grab the sugar for me? Yes, thank you. Don’t you agree?” I hand her the canister of sugar she was asking for and give her a look.

“Most of us learn how to run our parent’s companies straight from them, you know that. Plus, a lot of kids are too busy with school work to balance a job on top of it while school is in session,” I counter and then walk towards the coffee station to start a few shots of espresso. Chiyoko groans behind me and then I hear something smack the counter. She’s probably restocking the creamer. 

“I suppose you’re right. How did your parents get so lucky to have a daughter like you?” I hear her tease, causing me to roll my eyes and spin back on my heel towards her only to see her smirking in my direction.

“I have no idea, but I agree that they’re very lucky. Speaking of which, did they say anything to you this morning about any bulk orders?” I query, offering the sarcastic woman a wave of my hand and a smile. She jumps a little upon my question and seems to remember something before running into the back kitchen, leaving the box of creamer unattended at the counter. I groan and walk over to finish her task of restocking the creamer and slip it back into one of the many shelves lining the wall. How forgetful.

After finishing with that the bell above the entrance jingles and a customer walks in. I look behind me and see none other than the aforementioned Haruhi Fujioka, causing me to jump in surprise and stare wide-eyed at the awkward teen.


	2. First Meetings

“Oh, welcome to No-Doze Cafe, Fujioka,” I utter out, trying to sound as welcoming as possible towards the teen standing oddly in front of the door. He just sends me an awkward smile and looks around, probably out of nervousness. “Can I, uh, get you anything?” I offer, trying to encourage him to speak. 

“Oh- I- I didn’t think I would see you here (L/N),” He admits while reaching up to rub his head in a rather sheepish manner.  _ I didn’t think I would see you here either and yet here we are _ … I want to say but hold myself back.

“Right, well, what brings you here, then?” I pry, clicking a pen in my hand and looking back towards the kitchen area to see if Chiyoko has emerged yet. To which, shocker, she hasn’t.

“Well, I got into this whole thing with the host club at school,” He starts, piquing my interest and causing me to make eye contact with him once again. “I ended up knocking this really expensive vase over that they were going to sell or something and now I’m here. They all said they wanted me to pick up coffee and when I looked it up this was one of the closest places listed near the school so now I’m here. Except, I didn’t think you of all people- Wait, I’m rambling, aren’t I? Sorry, I just need coffee,” He continues and awkwardly lets out a few coughs trying not to get embarrassed. I raise an eyebrow at him and my smile grows a bit upon his rant.

“Ahhh, OK, so you’re their new errand-boy then? I don’t know all too much about them but one would think that they’d find another way to have you pay them back…” I say to myself and look off in thought and then shake my head. “Anyways, what kind of coffee can I get you, Mr. Transfer Student?” I ask, fixing my gaze on him. Upon my question, he somehow manages to make himself look more awkward, causing me to silently laugh to myself. 

“It’s miss actually,” He- no  _ she _ corrects letting out a few more awkward coughs. My eyes widen and I suddenly drop the pen I was holding and blush in embarrassment.

“I- ooh, sorry, let me pick that up,” I apologize, leaning over the counter to grab the now abandoned pen lying below me on the floor. In an attempt to make the blush on my cheeks go away I stay down for a few seconds longer than necessary. Deciding that my face is probably as close to normal as it’ll get, I shake my head and get back up only to be met with the now giggling Haruhi. “Sorry, it’s just- you look so much like a guy. With the whole baggy sweater get-up that you’re rocking right now. Not to mention how scruffy your hair is- Wait- no I didn’t mean that it looked bad I just-”

“No, I understand, (L/N). Trust me, I’m sure quite a few others think the same thing,” She admits, effectively cutting off my about-to-be-slew of apologies. I chuckle at her confession and reach up to smooth my hair in an attempt to calm myself even more.

“Yeah, sorry, again,” I apologize again, only to receive a dismissive wave from Haruhi. “In brighter news, is there any specific kind of coffee I can get you? We have a few different flavored beans in stock if you’re interested, too. I can also grind it for you if that would save time,” I offer, pointing towards the rows of differently labeled and flavored coffee beans that line the wall to my right. Upon my question, her eyes get as wide as saucers, probably just now realizing all of the different ways she could get coffee.

“Oh, my, they didn’t mention anything about any certain kind... Say, do you happen to have instant coffee by any chance?” She asks, trying to avoid looking at the rows of coffee beans. I raise an eyebrow and let out a small laugh. 

“Instant coffee? Are you sure? I mean, we definitely have it but most people don’t come in here to get that of all things,” I tease, leaning on the counter and looking her dead in the eyes. A blush creeps onto her cheeks and she lets out a nervous chuckle.

“Yeah, I mean beggars can’t be choosers, right?” She offers, causing me to shake my head and stand back up.

“I guess you’re right. How many grams?” I inquire.

“Oh, 100 should be fine,” She replies and walks closer towards the counter. I quickly input her order and the fee of 300 yen pops up on the cash register, causing her to pull out a pretty beaten up looking wallet and pay for it. I slip the bills she hands me into the register and say a quick “one sec” and go back towards the kitchen and peek my head in.

“Is the instant coffee still in the cupboard next to where we keep the sugar?” I ask, watching Chiyoko as she scribbles a few things down on a notepad while looking at her phone.

“Uh, yeah, sorry I’ll be out there in a few I just have to figure out the list of things we have to put together that your parents sent me,” She replies trying to wave me off and focus back on the notes she was scribbling. I just shrug and walk back towards where I left Haruhi and see her looking at a few of the paintings that were lining the walls. A smile slips on my face when we make eye contact and I shuffle towards where the cupboards that hold the instant coffee are. 

I make quick work to crack one open and pull out one of the various jars holding the dark brown substance and then haul it off to the coffee station. I scoop the coffee into a container labeled “No-Doze Cafe” that sat atop a scale until the scale read 100 grams and then sealed said container shut. Then, taking a little bit of pity on the poor gal, I set the container to the side and start making her a drink to take on her walk back to the school.

“Do you like cream or sugar in your coffee?” I yell to her while I pour a shot of espresso into a to-go cup. I hear her let out a “hmm” in thought before she answers.

“No, I usually take it black, why?” She replies, seeming a bit confused about my question. With this new information, I decide to make her an americano. So, I begin to add some water to the espresso until it’s close to the top of the cup. I seal the cup shut then make my way out into the seating area by where Haruhi is standing. She raises an eyebrow at me when I go to hand her the cup now filled with the dark brown substance. “You really didn’t have to do that, (L/N),” She says and a slight tint of pink grace her cheeks. I shrug then hand her the container that held her instant coffee.

“You can just call me (Y/N), Fujioka. Plus, you’ll probably have a lot on your plate for the rest of the day so just take it as an act of kindness for a poor soul,” I offer then step away from the female. A kind smile graces her face as she proceeds to take a sip of the americano and let out a content sigh.

“Thank you then, (Y/N), it means a lot… and, in that case, you can just call me Haruhi,” She says kindly while trying to snuggle the canister of instant coffee into her elbow. “Until next time?” 

“Until next time,” I agree then lead her back towards the entrance. We exchange another set of goodbyes and then she’s on her merry way back towards the academy. I let out a sigh and then turn away from the door to be met with the sight of Chiyoko waving a piece of paper and leaning on the counter.

“Well, miss smooth talker, I have a list of things your parents want you to package before we close up shop,” She teases then straightens her posture. “So, that was the mysterious transfer student, huh?” 

I walk over to the curious lady then snatch the piece of paper out of her hands to go over the list of various coffee beans that needed to be ground and packaged for tomorrow morning. “Yes, that was Miss Haruhi Fujioka,” I respond and, once again, make my way back towards the coffee station. A snicker sounds behind me, causing me to roll my eyes.

“Coulda fooled me,” I hear Chiyoko mumble before I start lining up bags on the counter for the coffee order. While I busy myself with the multiple different tasks that came with getting each order of coffee ready, customers come and go. This, in turn, causes me to have to occasionally make a drink or pause altogether to go help Chiyoko prepare something in the kitchen. It became surprisingly busy once Haruhi left.

The rest of the day goes on like that until I’m done packaging each order of coffee and it’s almost time to close the cafe. 6:34 PM reads proudly on the clock above the counter as both Chiyoko and I start wiping off every surface and close down the kitchen. I wipe down the espresso machine and check the fridge to make notes on what’s close to being expired and what we need to restock. Then, after finishing our closing duties and locking up the cafe, Chiyoko and I say our goodbyes and I call the driver to take me home.

Once I’m home I have dinner then rush upstairs towards my bedroom to study and work on some homework. Then, as soon as exhaustion takes over and I can barely keep my eyelids open, I turn off my lamp light and change into a set of pajamas. I make haste to curl up in my comforter then drift off into a deep slumber, preparing for the next day.


	3. Clearing Things Up

5:39 AM quickly changes to 5:40 AM, making the alarm clock let out a second series of bell-like noises as I slowly reach over to turn it off. I don’t often decide to get up before 6-6:30 but today seemed like the kind of day where I would need to be ready for any sudden surprises. Plus, it sometimes feels nice to be up earlier than normal and ready for the day.

After letting out a series of yawns and stretching a little bit to ease the slumber from my bones, I slip out of my silk sheets and pad over to my closet. Pushing past a series of my many casual outfits , I pull out one of the few girls’ uniforms I own. Then, after studying to make sure it didn’t have any wrinkles, as per school protocol, I lay it down on my bed and pad towards my dresser. I slowly ease one of the top drawers open and pull out a pair of white silk stalkings  and  set them down on top of the dress. It looked almost picturesque.

Deciding not to waste any more time, I slip every individual piece of the uniform  on and walk over to my vanity to fix the bow around my neck until I find it to be satisfactory. Shortly after, I fix my hair and do my other morning necessities until I look over and see my phone reading 7:03 AM. I only live about 15 minutes away from the school so I definitely still have time to fit in a quick breakfast before I have to head off.  _ Well, this stomach won’t feed itself I guess.. _ .

Breakfast goes by with little to no interruptions, except for when I knocked my glass of water over and some of it got onto my sleeve.  _ Though I suppose that couldn’t be helped.  _ So, without spending much thought on the little hiccup in my morning routine, I gather up my school bag and books and I’ m on my way to school.

As soon as the sight of the luxurious buildings tha t make  up the school greet my eye s, my driver pulls into the dropoff area . I hop out of the vehicle and say a quick goodbye. Unfortunately, I didn't pay m uch attention to where I was going after that and managed to bump into some random passerby. I stumble a little but manage to keep myself upright, though the other person isn’t too lucky because he lands on the concrete.

“Ooh, yeesh, sorry. I didn’t watch where I was going,” I apologize, reaching over to offer him a hand up. He looks up at me and it takes me a minute to realize who they are when suddenly… “Wait, Haruhi?” I ask in a slight whisper and look around.

“Ahaha yeah, sorry I wasn’t really watching where I was going either,” She confirms and grabs my hand, lending me to hoist her up. I just blink owlishly at her and then look her up and down. Upon further inspection, it became rather obvious that she was still the awkward girl I saw in the coffee shop earlier, except she did a complete 180 with her appearance. The scruffiness of her hair disappeared and instead opted out for a fresh haircut, not to mention the fact that she’s wearing the  _ boys’ _ uniform. But one thing catches my eye more than anything else and I notice that she’s no longer wearing the thick glasses from yesterday. This, in turn, causes me to notice just how pretty her eyes are and I almost get lost in the deep honey brown color of them until she lets out a few awkward coughs and brushes off some invisible dirt on her sleeves as a blush creeps onto her cheeks. Upon my rather evident stare being caught I look away and try to keep myself from blushing, too.

“Ah, jeeze, sorry, I just couldn’t help but notice how much you’ve changed since yesterday,” I admit and then look back at the short-haired brunette. She just shrugs back at me and lets out a rather loud sigh.

“Yeah... I guess you could say that a lot happened yesterday once I got back to the host club,” She confesses then fixes the bag resting on her right shoulder. “Uh, anyways, since we’re already here do you want to walk to class together?” I just raise an eyebrow at her and put a hand up to my chin in fake contemplation.

“Hmm... I suppose, since you offered so kindly,” I agree then nod at the brunette to follow me into the school. After a minute of silence without the brunette saying anything, I decide to start a conversation instead. 

“So,” I begin, trying to get her attention, “Why the sudden change into the boys’ uniform? Why not the girls?” I ask while looking her up and down again. Haruhi looks back at me and a sheepish smile slips onto her lips.

“It’s a pretty long story,” She admits, looking at me to get permission for her to continue her story. I nod eagerly and slow my pace a little so that we have more time to discuss this little ‘story’ of her’s before we get to class. “Honestly, Suoh decided that the best way I would be able to pay back my debt would be if I were to work as a host.” I let out a mock gasp and cover my mouth, even though I am a little surprised with this new information. Haruhi just shakes her head at my behavior.

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re not wearing the girls’ uniform instead,” I point out, making gestures at her apparel.

“Well,” she begins in a whisper and looks around to see if there’s anyone near us, which there isn’t, “I’m sure almost everyone in that club is convinced that I’m a male.” I just stare at her wide-eyed and prompt her to continue. “I didn’t see any need to tell them otherwise since they already gave me this uniform. Plus, I don’t really care what gender they perceive me to be, especially if it helps me pay off that ridiculous debt,” She admits, ending her speech with a nod.

“How much is your debt, anyways?” I inquire. A great weight almost instantly seems to be added to her shoulders and she slouches over.

“8 million yen,” She mutters. I just let out a long ‘oh’ in reply and then a thought strikes me.

“So… should I just act like you’re a guy while we’re around other people or?” I ask, my voice dropping off at the end.

“I, honestly, don’t care either way but it might be in the best interest until I figure out what’s going on with this whole  _ situation _ ,” Haruhi declares and puts emphasis on ‘situation.’ I just nod in understanding and elbow her.

“Alright… Mr. Haruhi,” I tease, causing her to let out a dry laugh in return. Diverting my attention away from her, I see the sign labeled ‘1-A’ that hangs above our classroom door and we both remain silent until we reach the door and say a quick set of goodbyes then head towards our desks.

I make a mental note that she sits to the right in the row behind my desk. Then, once everyone is seated and the bell signals the beginning of home-room, I doze off a little, only tuning in every once in a while until our first actual class begins. The rest of my classes go off without a hitch and then the bell for lunch signals everyone to pack up their bags and get ready to head off to the lunch hall.

“(Y/N)!” I hear someone call and then look over to see Momoka and Kimiko waiting for me by the door. I grin and wave at the pair and make my way towards them. 

“Hey!” I greet them both then follow them as they lead the way out of the classroom and towards the lunch hall. Both make eye-contact and snicker at one another once we’re a good few feet away from the classroom. “What?” I ask nudging them both after realizing that they’re snickering at me.

“Oh nothing,” Momoka begins, breaking eye contact with me and looking away.

“We just noticed that you walked in with the transfer student before class began,” Kimiko admits, finishing off Momoka’s train of thought. I just stare wide-eyed at the two, causing them to snicker even more.

“What? We just bumped into each other before school started so we decided to walk together,” I defend and they both let out ‘hmms’ of thought upon my defense.

“Rumor has it that he joined the host club yesterday,” Momoka says and looks at me. I just shrug.

“Oh yeah?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.

“Mhm, Momo and I planned on booking him today… Would you be interested in coming with us?” Kimiko admits as I just raise an eyebrow at her. “We know having a bunch of guys flirting with you isn’t really your scene we just thought it would be fun,” She adds once I give her a quizzical look. Momoka clasps her hands together and gives me a pleading look.

“Yeah, I guess I could accompany you two… make sure neither of you get into any trouble,” I tease and let out a sigh. The pair beams brightly once I give them my answer.

“Will your parents be OK without your help at the shop today?” Momoka asks as we continue on our walk towards the lunch hall.  _ I didn’t think about that. Leave it to Momo to remind me of my responsibilities _ .

“Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Tuesdays aren’t usually very busy but I’ll send Chiyoko a message and let her know after lunch,” I assure. Relief floods onto both of their faces and then we go on to talk about pretty much anything else. 

♡  Haruhi’s POV  ♡

I watch as (Y/N) leaves the classroom and let out a sigh of disappointment. Sure, I didn’t expect her to stay in the classroom and talk to me. I was just hoping that I could get a few minutes of her time.  _ She’s the only person I can actually hold a conversation with right now _ , I think as I go to pull my lunch out from under my desk.

I notice the twins follow everyone else out of the classroom but before they leave the both stick their tongues out at me but say nothing. To be honest, I still don’t really understand them and barely know them but they seemed to be a little bit interested in talking to me. Wiping that thought away, I crack open my lunch and decide to focus on that instead.

Unfortunately, I can’t help but think about yesterday, causing me to blush in embarrassment. I’ve been attending Ouran for a few weeks now and with everything happening lately I’m starting to get a bit burnt out. Yesterday, when I saw (Y/N), I was so thrown off. I didn’t think anyone at this stupid rich school worked but I was proven wrong.  _ I guess it makes sense though… She’s one of the only people who haven’t asked me any absurd questions and she has left me alone up until yesterday. Plus, she did give me a free coffee when I didn’t even ask her to. _ Trying not to focus all too hard on the events of yesterday or the incredibly nice acts of kindness she’s shown me, I shake my head and try to focus on chewing the food in my mouth.  _ But it  _ was  _ pretty nice… ARGH! Get a hold of yourself Haruhi! Just because she shows you one of the only acts of human decency you’ve seen since attending this school with a bunch of snobs doesn’t mean she wants to be your best friend!  _ I take another brutal bite of my lunch and look out the window.  _ But I certainly wouldn’t mind if she did want to be my friend.  _ I finally admit to myself then wipe all thoughts of the (H/C) headed girl away.

The rest of lunch goes by uninterrupted and until my classmates slowly begin trickling back into the classroom. Hikaru and Kaoru take their seats by me and then the rest of the school day begins. Occasionally, my gaze wanders over to (Y/N) and I watch as she takes notes or does whatever else she happens to be doing when my gaze floats off in her direction.  _ Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t mind if she wanted to be friends. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thank you for reading this so far! I'm currently working on the chapters after this one and I have to say... I'm pretty gosh darn excited! That being said, I, most likely, will not update again until next week. Aside from that, feel free to comment or what have you, and thank you again!


	4. Pond Mayhem

I watch as Kimiko and Momoka bounce along ahead of me while we walk to Music Room #3. When school ended, they practically sprinted out of the classroom, but of course, made sure I was still tailing after them.

“Thank you, again, (Y/N),” Kimiko thanks as she hooks her arm under mine. Momoka rounds to my other side and does the same thing. Both of them flashing me their biggest grins.

“Yeah, yeah, anything for my best friends,” I say while trying to wave the pair off.

“Awe, how sweet,” Momoka coos and pokes my cheek. I blush slightly upon the action but roll my eyes.

“Whatever, anything to make sure you both stay out of trouble,” I try to defend as nonchalantly as possible. They both giggle at me then launch into a full-scale conversation about what they were hoping would happen at the host club. I give my input every once in a while until we finally arrive at our destination. The pair giddily push the blush-colored doors open and rose petals ambush us in a rather aesthetic-like fashion. _Weird… but cute I suppose._

“Miss Kurakano, Miss Sakurazuka, and Miss (L/N),” Someone greets once we step foot into the music room full of bubbly girls and suave hosts. I look over and see that the voice who greeted us is none other than the infamous Kyoya Ootori as he wears an award-winning smile. “Here to see Mr. Fujioka?” He asks and intently looks at the three of us. Both Momoka and Kimiko nod enthusiastically, causing him to bow politely and direct our attention to where Haruhi is sitting. We thank Kyoya and head off in the brunette’s direction. When she hears our footsteps she looks up, surprise becoming evident in her eyes.

“(Y/N)! I didn’t expect to see you here!” She says in an almost whisper and looks me up and down. Kimiko quickly pulls me to sit in the lavish red chair to her left causing me to almost trip over my feet. I fidget awkwardly and shoot the innocent girl a glare which she just waves off.

“Ahaha, yeah that seems to be a theme between you and I… Plus this isn’t really my kind of scene,” I admit to her which causes her to quirk her head to the side and fix me a questioning look. I hear Momoka giggle so I shoot her a look.

“She’s not interested in guys,” Kimiko admits, which makes me blush furiously. I’m about to reprimand the innocent girl with bobbed hair until Haruhi cuts me off.

“So you’re like…” She begins, obviously trying to confirm that I’m only interested in women. I nod and let out a low sigh but manage to give her a sheepish smile. “Oh, cool,” She says, pink dusting her cheeks. After her comment, I lean back in my chair, and the other two launch into a full-scale Q&A about Haruhi’s skin routine and hobbies. I snort upon their eagerness but Haruhi’s uneasiness doesn’t escape my sight. _Ahhh.. she must be overwhelmed with how many questions are being asked._

“So, why did you join the host club, Haruhi?” Kimiko and Momoka ask in unison then go into a fit of giggles. I giggle a little along with them, knowing it’s all in good fun, but Haruhi seems evidently thrown off. Before I can try and cut in with a different question for the brunette to focus on she begins to tell a story about her home life.

“I see, your mother was sick and passed away 10 years ago,” Momoka says sadly and shifts in her chair a bit. “Who does the chores around the house?” Haruhi leans back in her chair and fixes Momoka a warm smile upon her question.

“Oh, I do them myself. My mother taught me. She was an amazing cook,” Haruhi admits bashfully then looks at the table. “And when she went to the hospital, she left me all kinds of great recipes. It was fun to create each dish, especially when they turned out well.”

I stare at Haruhi wide-eyed and feeling touched but she doesn’t take her eyes off the table. My hand floats to rest on my heart because of her heartfelt story and it seems to have the same effect on the other two.

“And it made me happy to see my dad enjoy it. I’ve had a hard childhood but Dad and I have managed to make it through OK,” She reveals, effectively ending her story and making direct eye contact with me. Admittedly, my cheeks heat up a little but I ignore it. _She does look quite cute right now…_ I admit to myself but then look away from her, trying to calm the thought and push it away from my mind.

“So is it OK if tomorrow-”

“We request to sit with you again?” Momoka asks shyly, finishing off Kimiko’s question for her. Haruhi seems delighted when asked and nods her head. 

“Yeah, I’d really appreciate that ladies,” Haruhi answers, a slight blush beginning to warm her cheeks, also. Then she fixes her stare back on me. “Will you be joining your friends, (Y/N)?” Haruhi adds, almost shyly. I think about it for a moment but end up shaking my head no.

“As much as I would love to, I don’t think my parents would be all too pleased if I left Chiyoko at our cafe alone again,” I apologize. Kimiko and Momoka let out whines of protest but I wave them away and promise to make it up to them, which they agree will suffice for my ‘betrayal.’ Haruhi lets out a chuckle while she observes our banter but it’s short-lived when Tamaki Suoh calls her over. We say our goodbyes to Haruhi and are escorted out by Kyoya, but not before I notice Haruhi being flung around by Tamaki until she’s efficiently saved by Mori. I can’t help but giggle at her misfortune but leave Music Room #3 with my giddy pair of best friends. 

♡ Haruhi’s POV ♡

I groan in frustration and continue to dig for my wallet in the pond. But with every passing moment I can’t seem to find it I just grow more agitated at the red-haired girl that passed me in the hallway. _I have a feeling she’s the one who threw my bag in here. But I can’t be bothered with her right now. I’ve gotta find my wallet or I won’t have any money for food this week._ The waters laps against my calves and I almost groan in frustration until-

“Haruhi? Is that you?” A voice asks behind me. I quickly stand up from my crouched position and see (Y/N). “I ran into Tamaki on my way here and he asked if I knew where you were but- wait, why is your bag wet?” She says worriedly and fixes me a questioning look. 

“It’s no big deal, I got it. I just can’t find my food money,” I answer, my voice fading off into a frustrated whisper by the end. A splash sounds behind me, causing me to snap back and see that (Y/N) jumped in the pond with me. Worry courses through my veins when I see the bottom of her school uniform getting drenched. The yellow color of her skirt billowing around her in the water as she bends over. I also notice that her sleeves are pushed and bunched up around her elbows to avoid getting them wet, too.

“(Y/N)! You really don’t have to do that! L-look your dress is getting ruined-”

“Nono, trust me I don’t mind a bit. Plus, I have to get changed for work so I won’t be in it much longer and,” She starts then points to a pile of clothing next to my soaked school bag, “I took off my stockings and shoes so the only thing getting wet is my dress, which can easily be fixed.” Then she cocks her head towards me and flashes me a toothy grin, causing my cheeks to heat up.

Before I can protest again she fixes her gaze back on the water and makes a light ‘aha’ sound. “This it?” She asks while lifting my beaten-up, brown wallet from the pond and makes her way over to me. I just stare at her while water drips off her hands and back into the pond. “Earth to Haruhi~ Hello? You’re not falling for me, are you?” She teases, trying to get my attention. Being caught in my act, I snatch my wallet out of her hand, and she giggles.

“I- thanks,” I thank, trying to rub the blush off of my cheeks.

“How did your bag get in the pond, anyway?” She quizzes, popping a hand on her hip. I try to choose between telling her the truth or not but decide it’d be best not to.

“I must have dropped it out of the window at some point. Silly me,” I lie and she just raises an eyebrow at me. Then, the hand on her hip stretches out towards me and she angles her head in a ‘follow me’ motion. I blink at her but slip my hand in hers as she leads us out of the pond and back to our stuff. 

“You can keep your secrets all you want, Haruhi, but if you need help you know where to find me. After all, that’s what friends are for,” (Y/N) reminds as she helps me out of the pond. Her statement causes me to smile and I reach down to retrieve my bag and everything else on the ground. I straighten up and watch as she wrings out the bottom of her skirt and slings her stockings over her shoulder. She then slips her shoes on, barefoot. Every movement of hers seeming almost graceful but uncaring. 

“Thank you, again, (Y/N),” I repeat as she stands up straight and reaches over to hit my shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah, now get back to that club of yours before someone else finds you,” (Y/N) says and pushes me towards the direction of the school. I look back behind me only to see her walk in the direction opposite, clearly ready to change into a fresh set of clothes as drops of water trail behind her. _Cute_.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

_Who thought I would get soaked twice in one day_ I think dryly as I start to peel the now wet boys’ uniform off of my body. Ayanokoji had just requested me as a host and started spewing some unnecessary crap about Tamaki and (Y/N). Apparently, she saw (Y/N) helping me search for my bag in the pond and was still bent out of shape about the attention Tamaki has been showing me since I joined the club. I called her out on it but she pulled me onto the ground on top of her to make it look like I attacked her. I roll my eyes at even the thought of her childishness. One thing led to the next and suddenly the twins were pouring water on us and Ayanokoji was getting kicked out of the Host Club permanently. 

Once I start pulling the white button-up off I hear the curtains to the changing room open. “Hey, I brought you some clean towels-” I hear someone say and I look behind me to see a startled Tamaki. His face goes red and he quickly drops the towels then leaves the room. I look down and realize that I only have my tank top and dress pants on. _Ah, so he finally realized_ I think as I go to pick up one of the towels he left discarded on the floor.

There’s some yelling outside of the changing room and I hear both of the twins laughing like maniacs and Kyoya getting scolded. I decide to ignore it and start pulling on the spare uniform Kyoya gave me; the girls’ uniform. Once I’m tying the bow that goes with it around my neck, there’s a shuffle outside and an audible sigh.

“Haruhi?” Tamaki calls from outside.

“Yeah?” I answer, already knowing what he’s going to ask.

“So, you’re a girl?”

“Biologically speaking, yeah,” I reply as I pull the curtains to the side to reveal the girls’ uniform on my body. Tamaki lets out a distressed scream and starts moving frantically around the room, causing me to roll my eyes. “Listen, I don’t really care whether you guys recognize me as a boy or a girl. In my opinion, it’s more important for a person to be recognized for who they are rather than for what sex they are,” I declare and rest my arms across my chest. 

“Well, isn’t this an interesting development?” I hear Kyoya say in an amused tone as the twins agree in a humored manner. 

“Uh, you know, I thought you were pretty cool earlier,” I admit, trying to comfort the freaking out Tamaki. That quickly changes his attitude and he backs up, his face red as a tomato. 

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but does anyone else know about your current… predicament, Haruhi?” Kyoya inquires as he pulls out his clipboard. I nod in his direction and walk over so we can make more direct eye contact.

“Yeah, (Y/N) knows,” I answer. He looks up from his board thoughtfully and clicks his pen.

“(Y/N) (L/N)? The one who’s parents own the chain of cafes and run the “No-Doze” coffee brand?” He checks to make sure. My eyes widen since I hadn’t realized up until now that her parents were the ones who owned that cafe or even an entire coffee brand, for that matter. _It makes sense though._

“Uh, yeah, that should be the one,” I confirm. He lets out a low chuckle.

“I suppose we’ll have to figure something out with her then,” Kyoya notes, clicking his pen. Then he looks at me. “You wouldn’t mind continuing to pose as a guy, for the time being, right?” He asks while putting on a bone-chilling smile. I think for a second and smile.

“Being a host and getting fussed over by a bunch of girls might not be that bad,” I admit then slap my fist against my other hand once I come up with an idea. “I’ll just call everyone dude and bro now,” I declare and let out a giggle.

After my declaration, there are a few whines of protest from Tamaki but, before I know it, I’m on my way home and the only thing I have to worry about is keeping up my guy persona. 

_It shouldn’t be that bad_ I think while slipping on a pair of pajamas and crawling into bed. _At least the other club members and (Y/N) know… That should be enough._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Thank you for reading this new chapter! This is one of my favorite chapters I've written so far and I hope it shows! Also, I would like to make it clear that, yes, the reader (i.e. You) will be replacing Tamaki in certain key moments because I feel that they're detrimental to Haruhi realizing she has a crush like how she did with the said blonde. Aside from that, have a wonderful day and make sure you stay safe w/ everything going on in the world!
> 
> -With much love,
> 
> MASEdiCE


	5. Party... and Maybe a Realization?

The days after the bag-in-water incident go by relatively normal. Haruhi and I manage to hold small conversations between classes on occasion, even though they tend to be interrupted by the twins more often than not. To be honest, I find their growing fascination with the girl to be amusing, though she does not. Their behavior would sometimes remind me of how they were in middle school, except they treat people with a lot more care than before, which is a welcome change. Aside from that, Kimiko and Momoka still make their regular visits to the host club and claim themselves to be “Haruhi’s most loyal customers.” I, upon occasion, would join them in their little trips and they usually turned out to be pretty fun.

The day after I helped Haruhi get her wallet out of the pond, she told me that the rest of the host club found out she was a girl. But, and she made this very clear, she would still be posing as a male so that she could continue to pay off her debt. Now, it’s a week after the incident and I’m sitting at a table in the cafeteria talking to Momoka and Kimiko.

“The host club is having a ball this weekend,” Momoka informs me as she’s fixing the mini bun on the right side of her head. I rummage through my bag and pull out a few bobby pins to hand to her, which makes her smile as a thanks.

“Yeah? Are you two going?” I ask after handing her the bobby pins. Kimiko practically pounces at the question at the question and stares at me with wide and hopeful eyes.

“Well… we were talking about it and were wondering if you would come with us?” She asks and latches one hand onto my arm from across the table in a pleading motion. “It’ll be really fun~” She adds on. I pry her hand off of my arm and swat her away in mock offense, making the pair giggle.

“And… what do I get out of it?” I ask, setting my head atop my hand that’s now propped on top of the table. Momoka rolls her eyes at me and slips the last bobby pin into her dark brown hair.

“Quality time with your best friends, duh. Plus, we can do each other’s makeup and hair,” She offers. Kimiko nods her head eagerly and I fake a sigh.

“Well I suppose… since I love you two so much,” I agree at last. Glee fills both of their faces and they launch into a full scale plan upon what we should wear. _These two are such dorks._

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

“And then, what happened next?” I ask the seemingly drained brunette next to me.

“He said I have to master the waltz by the end of the week or else he’ll tell the whole school I’m a girl! If he does that I’ll be demoted back to the errand boy,” Haruhi whines across from me. She groans then rests her head in her hands.

“So, I take it you have to go to the ball this weekend, then?” I confirm. The question seems to make her deflate more.

“Yeah, otherwise I wouldn't have to learn the stupid dance,” She admits dejectedly. I just shake my head at her and then look at my phone, waiting for a text from Momo about where to meet her and Kimiko.

“At least you won’t have any other club activities to deal with before this weekend,” I offer, looking away from my phone.

“I guess. I’m learning with a girl named Kanako Kasugazaki. Do you know her?” Haruhi asks, finally looking up from her hands. I think for a moment then nod my head.

“I only know of her, but I hear that she’s nice,” I validate. That seems to ease Haruhi’s mood and she straightens up a little in her desk. A buzz sounds on my phone and I look over to see the long awaited message from Momoka.

_Momo:_ _We’re out in the west side gardens. Hurry up!!_ _ಠ_ಠ_

Haruhi looks down at my phone and lets out a little chuckle. I send the impatient brunette a text back to confirm that I’m on my way and reach over to snap the open notebook next to Haruhi shut. She does the same with her own notebook and we both get up.

“Thanks for lending me your notes, again, (Y/N),” Haruhi says gratefully and I just offer her a shrug.

“The Hitachiins can be pretty troublesome during class when they want to be. But, hey, at least you managed to get a few things down before they bothered you too much,” I state and follow her as she opens the classroom door for me. “Thanks, now have fun learning how to use those feet of yours!” I tease and elbow her in the opposite direction.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Have fun with your friends,” She waves and we walk our opposite ways.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

I tie the mustard yellow ribbon around Kimiko’s waist and reach over to grab a pearl beaded bracelet. The bracelet slips over her left wrist easily and she does a little twirl.

“Thank you so so much, (Y/N)!” The excited girl with the now curled bob thanks. I stand back and admire my work. Momoka is wearing a tangerine colored dress that has a sweetheart neckline and pink accents in the form of a bow square in the middle of her chest and a pink waistband. Spaghetti straps lay over her pale shoulders and she adorns her signature twin-bun hairstyle but she added little pink ribbons to each bun. Kimiko opted to wear a pale yellow dress with a bateau and complete with the ribbon I had tied on her seconds before. 

“I’d say we look ready to party!” Momoka exclaims as she clasps her hands together. 

“Yeah! Plus, I think the idea to wear warm colors really helps show everyone that we’re a trio!” Mimiko agrees, fist bumping the air. I look down and admire my apparel in order to compare it to the other two. It’s a coral red color and off the shoulder. The skirt is a high-low cut, with its lowest point hitting my middle calf, and the sleeves that surround my arms felt fairly flowy and free. All three of us are wearing rather simple dresses and I couldn’t help but admire how well they complimented one another.

“Alright, let’s hit the road and get to that party!” I declare and hook my arms around the other two. They giggle at my enthusiasm and we trek out of Kimiko’s manor to meet the limo waiting for us.

The ride to the school is filled with idle chatter and excited theories upon what the hosts are planning. Momoka and Kimiko also mention that they really wanted to get a dance in with Haruhi. The thought of it made me laugh a little. When the school comes into view we all let out a few awes.

Lights light up the entrance of the ballroom and a bunch of giddy girls, and a few guys, are escorted inside. When the driver parks, we hop out and follow the group of girls that got out ahead of us. I hear Momoka squeal in excitement, clearly unable to contain herself. _I can’t blame her though._

Once we arrive inside of the ballroom, the lights slowly dim and we all wait for the rest of the guests to fill in. After the ball doors thunk shut, blinding lights turn onto the staircase. Every host appears lined up and multiple guests clap upon their appearance. After the applause dies down and Kyoya gives an opening speech about ‘a lucky lady being chosen to receive a kiss from the king’ the whole room bursts into excited chatter. Momoka and Kimiko shake my shoulders excitedly and I just burst into laughter.

“Let’s go get some snacks!” Kimiko demands so both Momoka and I follow her over to the many deserts and hors d’oeuvres that line a few different tables. I decide to grab a cup of lemonade on the right side of a drink table then rest against a pillar nearby.

Kimiko runs over to explain that both her and Momoka are going to go find Haruhi and ask ‘him’ for a dance. I nod and wave the pair off, but make sure to keep an eye on them.

“Miss (L/N) what a surprise to find you here,” A voice says next to me. I slide my eyes over and spot Kyoya standing nearby. “May I ask to speak with you in private while I have the time?” I nod politely, swiftly finishing my drink to discard it then follow him out of the ballroom and into a nearby hallway.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Ootori?” I ask when he stops walking and turns to face me. He offers me a polite smile then produces a small handbook from his pocket.

“I had, admittedly, hoped to catch you at an earlier date than this but I suppose this will have to do,” He begins as he cracks the book open. I raise an eyebrow at his odd behavior but urge him to continue. “Haruhi has made me aware that you know of her current… predicament.” He looks up at me for confirmation. I let out an ‘ah,’ already knowing what’s about to come.

“Yes, I do,” I confirm. He scribbles something on an open page and straightens up a bit.

“If this comes off as being odd I must implore you to forgive me but I have to make sure word of this does not get out,” He says, not taking his eyes off of me. I grow a bit uncomfortable under his gaze but I agree. “I am offering you a deal, of sorts.” _Well, that’s unexpected._

“I’m listening,” I say to urge him on.

“It has come to my attention that you are the one who supplied Haruhi the coffee on her first day working with us, no?” Kyoya says. I nod and he scribbles in his handbook again. “To make sure that you do not let this secret get out I have decided to partner with your parents’ company so that you may continue to provide us with coffee.”

“I see, but what does that have to do with Haruhi’s secret?” I ask, not seeing the point of him bringing this up. He lets out a ‘hmm’ and writes another thing down.

“Well, for starters, to compensate you for keeping this under wraps, our partnership will give your family more business,” He informs. I bob my head in understanding but he continues. “That way, if this secret does manage to reach the general public by your tongue and without our knowledge, I will personally see to it that your family company suffers from a financial drawback.” My eyes widen a little bit upon his threat.

“Mr. Ootori, I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t see any need for such a serious threat,” I point out, slightly offended. He writes down yet another thing, causing me to get a bit more agitated.

“I do not mean to offend you, Miss (L/N), but this is the only way I can assure that you do not let this slip,” He ensures, obviously not wanting me to question him any further. I let out a sigh because of his cold nature but then reach out to offer him my hand.

“For future reference, I would keep this secret for her no questions asked. I don’t need to be compensated but I also know not to get on your bad side,” I declare as he reaches out to grab my hand for a shake.

“Then you have nothing to worry about. It was a pleasure doing business with you Miss (L/N),” Kyoya says, giving my hand a firm shake. I bow my head back in agreement and he’s on his way back into the party. An agitated sigh manages to escape my lips but I shortly follow after him.

Once I’m back inside of the bustling room, I mile around the snack tables for a good while until I spot Kimiko and Momoka. They spot me at the same time and hurry over.

“(Y/N)!! You won’t believe what happened,” They both whine dramatically.

“Uhuh, and what happened?” I tease the seemingly heart-broken pair.

“As soon as Haruhi got onto the floor we went to go ask him for a dance but Kasugazaki swiped him before we even got the chance!” Momoka explains and dramatically puts a hand over her head in fake woe. Kimiko copies her and I burst into a fit of laughter at their behavior.

“Couldn’t you just wait until they were done?” I ask. They both frantically shake their heads.

“We were going to but he magically disappeared and we couldn’t find him anywhere after,” Kimiko admits. Momoka frantically shakes her head in agreement. 

“If you say so,” I say, nudging them both. The lights turn off again, except for the ones on the staircase, and Kyoya stands there proudly.

“If I could kindly ask you all to follow me into the courtyard, our king would like to announce the final dance,” He announces proudly. _I didn’t realize that much time had passed._ A bunch of excited gasps sound all around me and I’m dragged behind Momoka and Kimiko as they explain that they want the best view. 

Multiple doors that led out onto sets of balconies and a grand staircase. The smell of bloomy cherry blossoms hit my nose as petals float in the air. Lights suddenly flash on to reveal Kasugazaki and a boy standing in the center of the courtyard. The boy looks familiar and it takes me a second to realize that the boy is Toru Suzishima, Kasuga’s fiance. _I totally forgot that they were engaged._

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for us to begin the final dance of this evening’s festivities,” Tamaki announces, causing the couple in the spotlight to jump. “The last waltz of the night has been chosen by the Host Club for this couple.” Suzishima turns Kasugazaki to look at him and bows in her direction, offering his hand. Once she grabs onto his outstretched hand, music starts to play and they dance around the courtyard. _They fit each other so well_. 

“And now we’ll announce the queen of the ball,” I hear one Hitachiin twin yell. The other joins him in an excited matter, mischief very clear on their faces.

“Congratulations Princess Kanako Kasugazaki!” He chirps.

“And for her reward, a kiss on the cheek from the king!”

“Haruhi Fujioka will stand in for Tamaki!” They finally announce. My eyes snap open wide and I quickly direct my attention to where she’s standing. Both Tamaki and Haruhi look beyond surprised but the twins don’t seem to care. There’s a bit of a scuffle between the hosts but Haruhi finally starts making her way down the stairs. 

I watch wide-eyed and surprised as Haruhi finally makes her way down to Kasugazaki and turns the girl's face away from her own. Before Haruhi can even make contact with the Kasugazaki’s cheeks, Tamaki bounds off the staircase and trips on something, but I can’t make out what it is. Time moves in slow motion when he accidentally pushes Haruhi forward but her lips don’t contact Kasugazaki's cheek. No, they do something much, much worse. I go pale as a sheet of paper as the meant to be cheek kiss becomes a full on the mouth one. _Holy crap, there’s no way._

The pair break apart quicker than I can blink and everyone goes wild with excitement upon what they just witnessed. Momoka shakes my shoulder in excitement but I don’t take my eyes off of the now embarrassed Haruhi. _Why am I so shocked?_

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“Hey, (Y/N),” Someone says next to me. I look over to see none other than Haruhi. I smile warmly at her and pat the spot next to me on the bench. “Where are Momoka and Kimiko? Didn’t you come with them?” She asks, sitting down next to me. I fidget with my dress a bit and nod.

“Yeah, but we’re all going home separately. I would’ve carpooled with them but they live on the opposite side of the city from me,” I reveal then lean back against the bench. Haruhi lets out an ‘oh’ in understanding and fixes her suit. “How are you getting home?” I ask, sliding my eyes over to look at her. I notice that there’s no one around except her and I since almost everyone is already on their way home. She lets out an almost annoyed sigh and leans against the bench, too.

“The twins insisted that they take me home,” Haruhi admits, suddenly interested in the white shirt peeking out from underneath her coat sleeve. Then, before I can say anything, she looks at me intensely. “Hey, can I ask you a question? It’s pretty personal so you don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to,” She adds the last part on worriedly.

“Yeah, sure, you’ve had a pretty stressful night so I’ll humor you,” I agree warmly then straighten my posture to face her more directly. I notice her left hand starting to fidget with her suit a bit more nervously than before and she lets out a loud sigh. 

“When, uh- when did you realize that you like girls? Romantically, I mean,” Her voice falls off at the end and she breaks eye contact almost immediately. I freeze at her question but lean forward to try and get her attention again.

“Is this about the kiss you had with Kasugazaki tonight?” I inquire. She nods shyly then looks back at me, a blush evidently covering her cheeks. I smile back at her then lean back.

“Well,” I start, trying to think about my next words carefully, “It just kind of happens. One day you’re going about your life then the next it just dawns on you with no warning. People figure it out on their own terms, but it’s better if you accept it and move on with life.” She hums a bit but doesn’t say anything more.

“Why do you ask?” I prod. Her shoulders deflate a bit but she doesn’t try to dodge the question.

“Well, some things have been happening lately that have been making me question myself. What, with the whole host club situation and now that kiss… I just- I don’t know. I never put too much thought upon it before now,” She concedes. I bob my head up and down upon her confession.

“So, do you think you’re homosexual or?”

“No, I know that I also like guys. So... I guess I’m bisexual, then?” She says, looking at me for confirmation.

“You don’t have to put labels on yourself if you don’t feel comfortable with it, Haruhi,” I tell her. Relief floods her expression and she nods again. A comfortable silence fills the air and Haruhi finally seems to relax after asking her question. The only noises were those of passing cars and rustling leaves. I check my phone and there’s a message from the driver informing me that he left 3 minutes ago.

“That was my first kiss, y’know,” Haruhi whispers, breaking the silence. I tuck my phone away and turn to study her expression. It’s not one of shame or even of fear. If I had to describe it I would say that it’s closer to that of a child who had their favorite toy taken away. I couldn’t help but laugh aloud at the thought. Red immediately floods her face and she looks at me. “What’s so funny?!” A snort escapes my nose and I give her a good thwack on the shoulder.

“Oh, nothing, nothing- I just couldn’t help but notice how childish you looked for a second,” I tease. Her mouth opens and closes, trying to find something to say. She eventually gives up and laughs alongside me.

We continue on like that for the next few minutes. Just laughing and teasing one another, nothing much else on our minds. Then my phone dings and I look up to see that my driver pulled up next to the curb. I raise myself off of the bench and brush off any possible dirt that could have gotten on my dress. I take a step towards the direction of my limo but a hand latches onto my arm. I look back at the now leaned over Haruhi and my eyes land on her outstretched hand connected to my wrist.

“Thanks, again, (Y/N). I’ve- uh- had a tough time fitting in at Ouran but you’ve helped me immensely,” She confesses. I grin widely at her then put my right hand over her hand resting on my wrist. I give it a comforting squeeze and she lets go.

“Of course, just do me a favor and make sure that if you ever need anything that you come and find me,” I reply. We both just stare at one another for a moment, grinning like dorks and focusing on nothing else. But, the moment is interrupted when I hear the driver honk, causing us to giggle as we say our final goodbyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So I think I've finally decided on an update schedule ;) The plan is.... to update 1-2 a week! That way I'll have a few days to work on other stuff, especially with school just starting up again. Thank you for sticking with me!
> 
> With much love,
> 
> MASEdiCe


	6. Coffee Pick-Up

I finally package the last container of raspberry flavored coffee beans and wipe some of the imaginary sweat off of my forehead. The container is swiftly placed together with a few of the other flavors I recently packed. A fair and slightly wrinkled hand reaches over and picks up the now full box of coffee beans and sets in on top of 2 others. 

“Thanks, Chiyoko,” I say warmly and the older woman makes a waving motion at me.

“Who would’ve thought that little meeting with that transfer student would cause business to boom,” She replies, letting out a long sigh at the end. I let out a huff, bob my head in agreement, and walk over to fix the items on the counter. Before I can actually fix anything, the bell above the entrance jingles and an awkward Haruhi walks in. I smile and wave the brunette towards me.

“Hey, you! Are you here to pick up the coffee order for the host club?” I ask and point towards the stack of 3 boxes sitting on one of the counters by the espresso machine. The brunette nods then looks up at the clock.

“Yeah, but I guess I’m a bit early, huh?” She admits. I look up at the clock with her and notice that, yes, she is an astounding 20 minutes early. I let out a hum and a shrug in reply to her statement then beckon towards one of the tables close to the counter.

“It’s fine, you can just chill out here for a bit and then I’ll send you back. How are you bringing these boxes back, anyways?” I enquire. She pulls out one of the two chairs by the closest table and sits down timidly. A nervous groan escapes her lips and she fidgets with the hem of her school uniform.

“Well,” She begins, making hesitant eye contact with me, “I was hoping you could help? The twins offered to come here with me but I wasn’t in much of the mood for it.” I quirk an eyebrow upon her question and drum my fingers against the hardwood of the counter in fake contemplation. After a few seconds of my fake contemplation, her anxiousness grows visibly.

“I-I mean you don’t have to if you don’t want to!” She adds on, waving her hands at me. I can almost imagine a sweat drop appearing by her forehead and let out a hearty chuckle at her behavior. 

“I’m just teasing you, Haruhi. Y’know, you could’ve just contacted me over the phone to make sure? I’m sure Kyoya has my personal phone number,” I point out. After the last statement, Haruhi rubs the back of her head and hangs her head a tad bit.

“I don’t have a phone,” She admits in an almost whisper. A loud ‘oh’ sounds from my lips and I laugh a little. A playful glare is shot my way but I choose to ignore it.

“You thirsty? I can make you a drink,” I offer, jutting my head towards the coffee, trying to change the topic of conversation. She thinks for a minute then nods, making me walk over. “How does a cappuccino sound?”

“Oh, uh, sure,” She agrees. I look at her and she wiggles a little under my stare. My head quirks to the side in a question of whether she’s really sure but she doesn’t answer.

“It’s just espresso, milk, and foam, Haruhi,” I inform the girl. A blush creeps onto her cheeks as a nervous chuckle escapes her lips.

“Sorry, I just don’t know the difference between all of the different variations of coffee drinks… But, yeah, that sounds good,” The brunette confesses. I just shake my head at her in a friendly manner and start making two different espresso shots. 

“Any certain milk you want?” I question, walking away from the espresso shots as they fill up and opening the fridge.

“Whole should be fine.” 

I hum in agreement, grab it out, and shut the fridge. Once I set the milk down on the counter, I flip the button above the now full espresso shots off and grab one of the steaming pitchers, making quick work to pour some of the just grabbed liquid into it. While one hand works on steaming the milk, I use the other to reach over and grab two pink coffee mugs. Once the milk is steamed to my satisfaction, I turn off the steamer and pour one shot into each mug then start pouring the milk in them. Only after tapping it on the counter, of course. I decide to be a bit fancy and draw a tulip in one and a heart in the other, humming along the way. After being pleased with how they look, I wipe the station down then walk over to where Haruhi’s sitting, setting the one with the heart down in front of her and making my way over to sit in the unoccupied seat with my own cup.

The aroma of freshly made coffee wafts in the air around us, but we both remain quiet. I try to think of a way to break the silence but decide against it and just listen to the tick of the clock. There’s some rustling heard from the kitchen and Chiyoko pops her head out. She points towards the boxes, I nod, and she disappears.

“So,” I look over and Haruhi is staring at her now destroyed latte art while she tries to form a sentence, “How long have you been working here for your parents?” A customer walks in and her attention snaps over to look at them. Chiyoko appears at the counter and they’re swiftly taken care of.

“Well,” Haruhi looks back at me, “I’ve been working here officially for a year but I’ve helped out at different locations since I was a child. Why?” The question makes her pause for a moment and she sinks into her chair, a look of concentration washing over her face. I take another sip of my half finished drink and watch the cogs turn in her head.

“I don’t really know. To be entirely honest, I’m not aware of anyone else having a job. I thought it was below- Sorry, I just thought you guys didn’t much care for working,” She ends off with a nervous chuckle and squirms because of her offensive slip of words. A snicker escapes my lips and she goes a bit pink.

“There are a few of us, you just actually have to take the time to look,” Haruhi straightens a little at my dismissal of her comment. Her gaze travels to meet mine and she’s back to sipping her drink.

“Y’know,” She immediately freezes and leans in to listen to me, “We’re not all bad, Haruhi. I know your first impression of most of us hasn’t been so hot but I feel like you already know, from the host club, that some of us aren’t what we seem.”

She doesn’t reply for a moment, but she doesn’t need to. I said what I needed to and now she’s figuring out how best to reply. 

“I- I know. I wasn’t  _ trying _ to be rude and you’ve been nothing but nice to me. I guess I’m just quick to make assumptions about others, sorry,” Haruhi apologizes. I nod and send her a quick smile.

“Don’t worry, I’m not too fond of a good amount of the kids at our school, either. Most of them are entitled so I know where you get this thought process from,” I reply but she remains silent, only humming at my response. 

“Anyways, do you know why you guys ordered so much coffee?” I ask, trying to change the subject. A loud sigh sounds from her and she sets her now empty cup down. 

“Tamaki mentioned something about a flower viewing reception. Apparently, he wanted to go all out for the drinks this time or something,” She mutters at the end and I quickly finish my drink then swoop her own up into my arms.

“Kimiko and Momoka mentioned something about that to me this morning when we were texting, actually. They’re pretty excited~” I tease, walking to put the dishes away. 

“Are you going?!” Haruhi calls when I disappear into the kitchen. I hand the dishes off to Chiyoko and she snickers at Haruhi’s almost desperate question. I playfully hit the older lady on the arm and untie my apron, making my way to the coat rack to hang it up.

“I was thinking about it, but I planned on going to Ueno Park already the day after. I guess it just depends how it all plays out,” I call back, hanging up my apron and walking over to scoop up the boxes. Haruhi appears behind me and tries to take two of them but I swat her hand away and only give her one. She rolls her eyes at me but takes it nonetheless, a dramatic sigh escaping her.

“Are you going with anyone?” She asks, leading the way towards the door. I call out a quick goodbye towards Chiyoko and we’re on our way towards the school.

“I was thinking about asking Momoka and Kimiko but I don’t know what they’re up to. We usually go together but business has been busy for their families this year so they each haven’t had the most free time. Otherwise I could see if my parents will be home-”

“We could go together?” Haruhi interrupts, bumping my arm. I blink at her sudden offer and a pink tint floods her cheeks. “I mean, only if you want to. I didn’t plan to see them this year but I certainly wouldn’t mind going with you. I usually go with my dad but he has to work all week.” I raise an eyebrow at her and bump her back.

“Are you suggesting I take you with me, alone, on what most perceive to be a romantic outing, Haruhi?” I tease. Her face immediately goes beet red and she almost drops her box.

“Shut up, you know I didn’t mean it like that. If you’re going to be like this I guess you can just go alone,” She picks up her pace and hurries ahead of me to prove her point and I can’t help but laugh.

“Sorry, sorry, but yes Haruhi I would  _ enjoy  _ your company if you came with me,” I call towards her, running a little to finally match pace with her again. She lets out a little ‘hmph’ and then quirks a smile.

“Then I suppose I’m obliged to come,” Haruhi agrees, meeting my stare and bumping my shoulder for a second time.

“I suppose you are,” I reply and we continue on our way. Teasing floods the conversation here and there on both parties until we’re finally at the school.

Kyoya meets us at the entrance and he fixes an almost harsh gaze on me, reaching out his arms to take both of the boxes from my hands. 

“Hello, Kyoya,” I greet, handing him both boxes. 

“Ms. (L/N),” He replies with a curt nod towards me while he takes them both. When they’re both in his arms, he fixes his gaze on Haruhi. “Glad to see you’re here on time, Haruhi.” The brunette rolls her eyes and offers him a smile.

“Yeah, yeah, I wouldn’t be if it weren’t for (Y/N),” She confesses, flicking her heads towards me. Kyoya’s gaze goes back to me and a polite smile fills his lips.

“Thank you, then, Ms. (L/N). I hope you get home safely but, if you don’t mind, Haruhi and I must be on our way,” Kyoya states. I nod in reply to his question and he turns on his heel to walk away, not waiting up for Haruhi. She goes to follow but I stop her.

“Can I have your home phone, Haruhi? That way we can get everything sorted out about the flower viewing,” I ask, reaching into my back pocket to retrieve my phone. Haruhi sets down her box and reaches over to grab it, making quick work to type in the number.

“I’ll be home at around 7ish tonight. My dad shouldn’t be home so you don’t have to worry about him picking up,” She informs, handing me my phone and picking her box back up. 

“I’ll call you then. Alright, well, talk to ya’ later, have fun,” I wave goodbye and she smiles at me then walks into the school.  _ This should be fun _ .


	7. Cherry Blossom Viewing

_Ring… Ring… Ring… Ri-Click!_

“You’ve reached the Fujioka household, what do you need?” a feminine voice answers over the phone.

“Haruhi?” I ask, unsure if it’s her or maybe a sibling of some sort.

“Oh, (Y/N)! Yeah, it’s me,” the voice, now identified as Haruhi, assures. A sigh of relief escapes my lips and I lean back into my plush pillows, adjusting the laptop on my lap. The phone rests comfortably on my right shoulder and my eyes skim over the English assignment pulled up on the glowing screen.

“Hey, how did the club go? Did the coffee get delivered safely?” I wonder, typing absently about a poet from the 1800s. There’s a slight hum sounding from the other line and a bit of a scuffle, which I assume to be Haruhi getting comfortable wherever she is.

“Mmm, it was OK. The walk back to the music room was pretty tense, though. Kyoya was asking questions the whole way like ‘Did anyone see you?’ or ‘Are you sure Ms. (L/N) got everything?’ It was slightly annoying,” she admits. I snicker a little and start to shut my laptop, deciding that this conversation is much more interesting than the assignment due that’s tomorrow.

“Makes sense, makes sense… Hey, is there anything else you want to do when we visit Ueno or?”

“Huh, I guess I didn’t really think about that… Why, is there anything you want to do?”

I think for a minute, absent-mindedly messing with the hem of my comforter. Sure, there are a few things I could think of but it’s a matter of time. _And it will be pretty late. Plus, we’ll probably go right after clubs and-_

“We should probably grab dinner or something,” I suggest, dropping the comforter edge and sitting up straight. There’s a pause, an ‘oh,’ and some silence.

“I forgot that eating would probably be smart,” Haruhi says, a bit embarrassed. I laugh a little and hop off of my bed, deciding to look for some clothes to sleep in while listening to her.

“I suppose I can’t have you starve. I feel like the host club would have my head,” I tease, rummaging through some shirts tucked in one of my dresser drawers. There’s a bark of laughter that cuts through the line and a slightly warm feeling fills my heart upon my well-received joke. _Cute._

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Are we going once I’m done with the club?” she questions. I give her a quick ‘yeah’ and start to change into the pajamas I picked out, after putting her on speaker. Suddenly, there’s the sound of a door slamming and some shouting from Haruhi’s side and I grow a bit alarmed.

“Hey, Haruhi, is everything OK or-”

“Yeah, my dad just got home and- hey, dad! What did I say about listening in on my conversations?” an exasperated Haruhi scolds. There’s a long sigh, then a laugh, and suddenly a phone hand-off.

“Hello, may I ask who it is that Haruhi is speaking to?” someone- her dad- questions over the line. I sweat nervously at having to suddenly confront Haruhi’s dad, unexpectedly, might I add, but clear my throat to answer.

“Oh- yes- I’m (L/N) (F/N), I’m one of her friends,” I almost squeak. A groan barely manages to escape me upon my nervous sounding voice. _I know how to handle situations better than this- This shouldn’t catch me so off guard!_

“May I call you (Y/N), dear?” he asks, his voice going in a slightly higher pitch upon his new-found knowledge. I tell him a quick ‘of course’ and he lets out an almost giggle. “To what pleasure do I owe you calling Haruhi? She hasn’t _told_ me of any friends, so you must excuse my nosy behavior.” _She hasn’t talked about me or- I guess even the host club for that matter?_

“Oh, her and I planned on going to Ueno Park together this Friday, for a flower viewing,” I answer, now promptly sitting on my bedroom carpet. I hear him scold Haruhi over not being aware of my existence and some excited questions about our planned outing until his attention is back on me.

“You simply must come to spend the night on Friday, (Y/N). I would love to meet you! And I’m sure you both will be out so late that you won’t want to go all of the way home,” he proposes. I’m taken aback by his offer and I hear some whines of protest from Haruhi but choose to ignore them.

“I- uh- sure, I guess?” I agree without really thinking. Inwardly, I’m freaking out a little and start going over what I should bring to her house for clothes. _Will I be spending the next day with her, too? Should I dress casually? Do I need to-_

“So it’s settled, then. You’ll come over after the viewing on Friday and I get to meet you... Oh, this is so exciting! I suppose I’ll let you two continue talking, then. I know you can’t keep two girls from their conversations. Have a lovely night, (Y/N), and I’ll see you then.” The phone is handed off before I can even give him farewell and the now-returned Haruhi groans loudly.

“Jeeze, I’m sorry, (Y/N). If I had known he would start asking you 20 questions or made you come over I would have never let him have the phone. You really don’t have to come over if you don’t want to,” she apologizes. I roll my eyes at her polite behavior and laugh.

“It’s seriously OK, Haruhi. The only thing I’m offended over is you not mentioning me to him,” I admit. She remains silent and I start to feel bad until she starts talking again. 

“Yeah, that was pretty terrible of me it’s just- sometimes he starts getting so nosy and I don’t want to bother him… He already has so much on his plate so I thought that the last thing he needed to worry about was me making friends. I- sorry again,” she admits in a whisper. I let out an apologetic and long ‘oh,’ feeling bad about even bringing it up, and silence overtakes the line. Before I can tell her it’s ok she speaks again. “Anyways, it’s getting late and I’m sure we both have some homework. I’ll talk to you tomorrow at school?”

“Of course, thank you for offering to go with me, Haruhi. It means a lot. Also, don’t worry about the whole friend thing I- you shouldn’t feel pressured to talk about me- or anyone else. I hope you sleep well,” I agree apologetically.

“Anytime, (Y/N), and I hope you sleep well, too. Good night,” and with that, she hangs up. I sigh dramatically and lay down on the floor, the phone gripped into my hand. _Nice going, (Y/N)._

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

“You would not _believe_ what happened today during the physical exam,” an exasperated Haruhi whines, climbing into the limousine next to me. I raise an eyebrow at her and reach over to shut the door she just clambered in through.

“Really? I mean, I saw Tamaki pretending to be you, which was hilarious,” a groan escapes the brunette's lips, but I continue, “other than that nothing seemed too bad? How did you end up doing the whole thing with _y’know_ going on, anyway?” I gesture to her body to prove my point and she almost slams her head into the seat behind her.

“It’s a long story. But, to make it short- wait, did you hear about that doctor some girls were concerned over?” I nod my head at her question and she continues, “Well, I ran into him, when I found the room Kyoya had secured for me, and it turns out the whole thing was one big misunderstanding. Something about his daughter and family… I don’t know, but it’s over now and the secret is still safe.” She finishes her speech off with an eye roll and I think over everything she’s just told me.

“I see, alright, well, do we need to stop at your place so you can change out of your uniform or-”

“Nah, I packed a change of clothes in my school bag. I can just change when we get there in a restroom or something,” Haruhi says proudly while pointing at the bulging school bag sitting to her left. “Thank you for offering me a ride there, by the way,” she adds on, letting her hand drop to her lap and leaning back into the leather seat.

“I wouldn’t make you walk there, Haruhi. Plus, it’s only about a 10-minute drive from here to Ueno so it's not a big deal,” I reply, waving her off then looking out towards the window to focus on the scenery outside. She lets out a sigh but doesn’t say anything more.

The rest of the ride continues like that. The silence is comfortable, sure, but there also isn’t much of a way to break it, even if either of us felt the need to. My head finds itself propped up onto my elbow and I study the landscape outside while it slides by. The sidewalks are filled with happy couples, boisterous friend groups, and giddy children, all of them obviously excited to go spend time viewing the blossoming trees as Haruhi and I are about to. I also notice the sky beginning to darken to a dusty blue, with a few stars poking out here and there. The limo suddenly jerks to a stop and the window to the back is slid open. The wrinkled and worn face of our driver peeks through it and he offers a kind smile.

“It looks like I’ll have to drop you two off here. Is there anything you need before I leave, Ms. (L/N)?” he asks, his eyes crinkling with the smile on his cheeks.

“Could you park while I take Haruhi to go get changed?” I ask the joyful driver. He nods back at me and the window is slid shut.

“I could’ve just carried my uniform with me, you know that, right?” Haruhi points out, slipping out of the limo after me while I hold the door open for her and grab the bag with the picnic blanket in it. I just offer her a shrug in reply and point at a set of public restrooms ahead.

“He won’t mind, don’t worry. Now, go and change. I want to get this show on the road,” I order. Haruhi rolls her eyes at me but does as I say regardless. After watching her duck into the bathrooms, I pull out my phone and check my messages.

There are a few messages from Kimiko and Momoka about how sad they are that they can’t go flower viewing with me, which I reply quickly to, and a message from my parents.

_Dad: Your Father and I will be home this Sunday! We’re excited to see you!_

I smile fondly at the message and shoot him a quick “me too” and shut the phone off. A few minutes pass by while I wait for Haruhi until her mop of brown hair comes into view. My breath is almost knocked out of me when I notice her attire. _I’ve never seen her out of the school uniform- well, other than that old brown sweater get-up- so who can blame me?_

A cream-colored cardigan hugs her shoulders, covering a baby pink turtleneck, and she adorns a pair of black jeans that cut off at the ankles. _She looks like she just walked out of a fashion magazine_. I continue to stare at her cute apparel, not noticing how quickly she arrives next to me until she clears her throat. I panic a little at being caught and I feel my cheeks flush a little but try to play it off.

“You- you look really nice, Haruhi,” I compliment sheepishly. A blush crawls onto her cheeks upon my words and she shoves my shoulder.

“Don’t be weird,” she scolds. I laugh at her comment then pop the door open for her to set her stuff back inside the car.

“Also, I planned on paying for everything,” I admit casually. She whips her head back at me and stands up straight.

“You know I can’t let you do that.”

“Well, you _could_. Plus, you’re the one who was nice enough to offer to come with. So, it would only be appropriate.”

“I brought money with me.”

“Then I guess this gives you a reason to save it,” I shoot back. She lets out a loud groan and I can almost swear she mutters something like “damn rich people” under her breath but I decide to brush it off.

Once her stuff is settled nicely on the seat and she shuts the door, I let the driver know that he’s good to leave and we’re on our way. The walk to the park only lasts a few minutes and is filled with idle chit chat. We discuss trivial things, such as school assignments and our after school activities. She mentions something about me spending the night and her fear of how overly-friendly her dad can be, which I laugh at. 

After her little dad rant, we’re at the entrance that’s crowded with families, couples, and friends alike. “Do you want to go find a stand to get some food at and then choose somewhere to set up shop?” I ask Haruhi. 

She thinks for a minute and then nods. As soon as I have her confirmation, I link my arm around hers and pull her with me to go find some food. I point out a few stands that have sweets, which she shakes her head at while saying that she’s not too fond of them, and some with more savory foods. After some compilation, I spot an okonomiyaki stand and motion towards it. Her eyes follow the direction I motioned towards and she starts walking towards it. I follow her lead and once I catch up to her she’s staring intently at the person behind the counter who’s in the process of making a new batch.

We watch as he lays a thin layer of a pancake mixture on the hot stove and seasons them. When each piece is a light brown color, he puts lettuce, tomatoes, and few other vegetables on each square. The smell of seasoning and freshly made street food starts to waft through the air which causes both Haruhi and I to let out content sighs. Focusing back on the man making the savory street food, he flips each pancake over and starts to lather them in sauce. After that, he folds each individual okonomiyaki in half and I wave to get his attention. He looks up and smiles warmly at Haruhi and I.

“Could we get two, please?” I request politely. He nods and begins to package the savory pancakes into two separate containers. He motions towards the register and I dig out my wallet. Wasting no time, I pluck out a few bills, including money for a tip, and hand it to him. 

“I hope you two enjoy your time, thank you,” He wishes sweetly while handing us each a container. I offer him a toothy grin then Haruhi pulls me in a different direction once she says a quick “thank you.”

“Do you want to go get something to drink?” the brunette says in an almost shy matter. I shake my head up and down excitedly at her suggestion and walk towards a few different drinks stands.

“Do you want to get tea?” I ask her, which she agrees to. We quickly find ourselves in front of a stand selling said drink and look at the choice available. Haruhi makes haste to order a raspberry tea and I order (preferred kind of tea here) when she’s done talking. The lady behind the counter makes both orders swiftly and I dig out my wallet again. 

With both drinks and food now in hand and payed for, Haruhi and I make our way away from the vendors that line the square. I look over and notice Haruhi looking at me weirdly. I quirk an eyebrow up at her and she blushes a little.

“Can I be honest about something?” she inquires, averting my gaze slightly. I give her a low “mhm” and she draws in a long sigh. “Well, I didn’t think you would be so chill about all of this. I mean- I just wasn’t under the impression that you would eat street food or be so casual about hanging around so many people.” I think about her confession for a second and then realize what she’s talking about.

“Is it because of my _status?_ ” I tease her, nudging her arm. She rolls her eyes at my behavior but nods at my question.

“Yeah, I’m sure if I went with someone, like Tamaki or the twins, I would be asked countless questions about the street food and what I like to do for fun at these events,” she admits. I hum in understanding and slow my pace down to allow for an easier conversation. 

“It’s not uncommon for anyone from our school to go to flower-viewings, though we usually go to private ones with less people. But, I like ones like this because the atmosphere is so _cozy_. Take from that what you will,” I reply at her honest confession. Haruhi’s head bobs up and down and she takes a swig from her still-hot drink.

“That makes sense,” she says after swallowing the liquid she had just taken a drink of. “Well, I’ve already had fun, so thanks for taking me with you. You’re a fun person to spend time with.” I can’t help but blush a little at her comment, but decide to suffice for a simple nod instead of using words.

“What do you think about sitting over there?” I question while pointing at an unoccupied spot on a few trees. She nods at my suggestion and we head off in the directions towards said spot.

When we’re there, I pull out the baby blue picnic blanket I had stored in my picnic basket and lay it out. Haruhi helps straighten out the other end and then we both sit down. I pull out my okonomiyaki and start to eat it while Haruhi does the same.We both start to study the blooming pink trees above us, pointing out certain things about each that we like. Haruhi admits that she loves going to cherry-blossom viewings because of the smell in the air, which I didn’t find surprising, and I say that I enjoy going just to spend quality time with other people. She hums at the comment and then flops back onto the blanket.

“This is nice,” she sighs out while shutting her eyes.

I look down at her and study the gentle rise and fall of her chest. The collar of her turtle neck is rolled a little and her cardigan is folded under her back in a messy manner. I also notice that there’s a petal in her hair and reach over to pull it out. As soon as my hand makes contact with her brown locks, her eyes snap open and she bores into me. I pull the petal out and then show it off to say “look what was in your hair.” A light pink dusts her pinks and she mutters a low “thank you” before turning her head away from me. I chuckle down at her and then decide to copy her position on the blanket.

“You know, this is almost like a date-”

“Oh my lord, shut up (Y/N)!” Haruhi demands loudly. I laugh loudly at her and then look up to study the flowers again, counting each individual bloom.

  
 _Part of me feels like it wouldn’t mind if it was…_ The pair thinks at the same time. But neither would dare say it aloud.


	8. Haruhi's House

Haruhi bounds up the steps to her apartment ahead of me as I wave the driver off. There’s a nervous feeling wrenching my gut, but I try to ignore it the best I can. Am I nervous to spend the night? Not necessarily, though that _is_ a bit nerve-wracking. The one thing that has me on edge is meeting her father. It’s not like I’m unused to making acquaintances with my friends, or associates, parents but this seems different. Just thinking about it makes me clutch the gift I had brought for the man closer to my chest. _Get it under control, (Y/N)_. 

As soon as the driver is out of sight, I run up the stairs to meet Haruhi and try to wipe any negative thoughts away. I spot her waiting at the end of the long porch next to a door that I’m assuming leads into her home. Wasting no time, I practically run towards her position, but not loudly since it’s almost 10 PM and some people are probably trying to sleep. Upon my rushed state, Haruhi raises an eyebrow at me but says nothing as she unlocks her front door and pushes it open. 

Almost immediately upon our entry into Haruhi’s abode, a woman bursts into the living area. When she sees us, she almost sprints over and Haruhi audibly sighs. I send her a questioning look but she just shakes her head at me and mouths “good luck.” 

“You must be (Y/N),” the woman says, reaching out to clasp my right hand. I jump a little at her friendly contact but nod curtly, uncertain of what to say. The woman takes notice and laughs friendly, which causes me to stare at her in even more confusion. “I’m Haruhi’s father, Fujioka Ryoji, but please call me Ranka, dear.”

My mouth hangs open in surprise as I stare at the now known to be the father of Haruhi. I can’t help but notice how pretty he looks with how he’s dressed. His hair, which I’m unsure of whether or not is a wig, is a nice auburn red-shade and his makeup is done impeccably. I then look down to study his apparel, which is a nice white female blazer and skirt and I can't help but admire his sense of style. _Ah, he must be a cross-dresser._

I look back up at him, after being satisfied with studying his appearance, and offer him a smile. “That’s me! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ranka,” I greet warmly, pulling my hand from his grasp and pulling the gift from behind my back. He blinks at me but doesn’t question my actions while I had him the present that’s neatly wrapped in expensive honey-colored paper and tied with a star white silk bow. “This is for you, as thanks for allowing me to barge in on your home. Also, if I may add, you look stunning, Ranka,” I compliment. 

His eyes go as wide as saucers and he wraps me in a bone-crushing hug, careful not to damage the unwrapped present. It catches me by surprise but I quickly relax into it and hug the friendly father back.

“Oh! I just _knew_ I was going to like you, (Y/N)! How fortunate I am to know that Haruhi has a friend like you in her life!” he declares loudly while pulling away from the hug.

I laugh a little, blushing at his statement, and he leads me to sit down at their kotatsu in the middle of the room. When I’m seated on the floor, he calls Haruhi to join us and she comes out of the kitchen holding a few mismatching tea cups. She sets one down in front of me and then joins her excited father on the other side of the table. I look down at the drink, realizing that it’s a traditional green tea, and waste no time to take a sip of it. I look up and observe as Ranka talks excitedly about the gift sitting in the middle of the table, causing Haruhi to shoot me a surprised glare since she didn’t know I brought it in the first place. I just smirk at her and continue to drink the liquid in my hand.

“Oh, this is so sweet! (Y/N)! You really shouldn’t have!” Ranka exclaims. I look over and see that he’s unwrapped the now-revealed pastel yellow and blue thermo travel mugs and assortments of coffee and tea. He uses a manicured hand to pick up the blue mug and studies it thoughtfully. I hear him say something along the lines of “These are so nice” under his breath and blush a little.

“I didn’t think I would have enough time to order you anything so I got you stuff from my family’s company, with my parents' help,” I admit, reaching behind me to rub the back of my head. Ranka’s head shoots towards me and he leans over the counter to stare at me with wide eyes.

“Your family owns No-Doze?” he asks curiously. I nod to answer his question and he somehow seems to grow even more giddy. “Oh! I should introduce you to one of my old coworkers! He swears by your brand and refuses to use anything other than it at his pension… Speaking of which I need to get in contact with him for the summer…” Ranka says, his voice trailing off as he gets up and walks towards the kitchen.

As soon as he’s out of sight, Haruhi fixes me with a hard stare and I blink back at her owlishly. “You really didn’t have to do that, (Y/N). Just the fact that you decided to accept his offer and come over has been enough to make him bother me all week about what you’re like. Now he’ll never shut up about you!” Haruhi groans loudly, slamming her head against the wood of the table. I laugh loudly at her behavior, and she peeks out from under her hair and smiles at me.

“Better me being a sweet friend than one that’ll walk all over you and be rude,” I remind, leaning back on my hands and studying her posture. After a few minutes of silence and listening to Ranka’s far off chatter, Haruhi sits up and stretches. Once she returns to normal, she lets out a yawn and scoops up the gifts.

“I’ll tell him that we’re going to get some sleep. The bathroom is through the door to the right of the entrance,” she announces, disappearing into her kitchen. I nod, even though she’s no longer in eye-sight, and stand up. I head towards the direction she pointed me in and go inside of the small bathroom, getting the pajamas out of my bag on the way.

I waste no time to change, brush my teeth, clean my face, and pack my bag back up once I’m inside. My reflection stares back at me from the mirror hung above the sink and I finally notice how tired I look. _Today must have worn you down more than you thought, huh?_ I wave the thought off and leave the bathroom, coming face to face with Haruhi. She offers me an awkward smile and squeezes past me into her bathroom.

“Turns out my dad already set up a place for you to sleep in the room. He just got called into work so he won’t be home until tomorrow morning, most likely. Uh- The bedroom is by the kitchen. I’ll meet you in there once I’m changed,” she informs me in an awkward voice before swiftly shutting the bathroom door. A snicker escapes my lips and her behavior but I head towards the bedroom none-the-less. 

It only takes me a few strides across the main room until I’m in front of the said room. I slide the door open and peer inside, making note of just how plain it is. _They must not be much for decoration_. Wiping that mental note away, I study the three futons on the floor. One of them is pushed to the side and into the corner at the left side of the room and the remaining two are almost perfectly left alone. Note the _almost._ The one further from the door looks like it has recently been slept in by the looks of the lazily fixed comforter and crooked pillow. _Must be Haruhi’s_.

“Sorry, it’s kind of messy in here. My dad wanted his futon out of the way so we would have more room,” a voice says behind me. My gaze immediately snaps to look at the now present and differently dressed Haruhi. She’s just wearing a simple black graphic tee that says ‘cutie-pie’ in pink letters and striped PJ shorts. I giggle at her apparel slightly, causing her to look down and stare at it, an embarrassed blush slowly creeping onto her cheeks.

“Sorry that I’m not wearing expensive silk, you prick,” she mutters in a teasing manner, her eyebrow twitching. I laugh even harder at that but wave her comment away.

“No, no, that’s not it but… ‘cutie pie,’ really, Haruhi?” I tease, pointing to the offending t-shirt. A loud groan escapes her lips and she flops down on the futon that I correctly guessed was hers.

“My dad thought it was cute. So- leave me alone,” she sighs dejectedly, which causes me to shake my head at her. I plop down on the other futon, waiting for her to say something more. But, she doesn’t and we just sit in silence.

“So,” I begin, catching her attention, “What does your dad work as?”

“He’s a bartender.”

“Oh, anything else?”

“He also works as an entertainer at the same place.”

I nod thoughtfully at her reply and lay down, staring at the white ceiling.

“That sounds pretty cool,” I compliment. I glance over at her and a smile slips onto her soft features upon my comment.

“I’m glad you think so… and I’m sure he would be, too,” she admits. I hum in reply and a thought suddenly pops into my head.

“Oh! Did you want to do anything tomorrow or did you want me to go home right away?” I ask the brunette. She thinks on the question for a minute, humming to herself and studying her fingernails.

“Not really, no. It’s been a while since I’ve had anyone over so I’m pretty bad at planning these things. But, I think my dad would be pretty upset if you left before he got home so… I could show you around the neighborhood and we can get breakfast or something?” Haruhi offers shyly. The thought of getting to spend more time with the boyish brunette makes my heart flutter a little and I nod vigorously at her proposal.

“That sounds like it’d be fun!” I agree, stretching out my tired limbs a little. “But, I think it’s about time we get some shut-eye.”

After my comment, Haruhi reaches up and flicks the light switch off in agreement and we’re both consumed in darkness. I waste no time to crawl under my blanket and I hear her do the same. _Yeah, tomorrow should be fun…_

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

“(Y/N)...(Y/N)... (Y/N)!” a voice calls loudly while shaking my sleeping form. I groan at the intrusion of my deep slumber and crack an eye open at whoever it is.

“What?” I say groggily, trying to rub the sleep from my eyes. Once my vision comes into focus, an annoyed Haruhi comes into view and I grow incredibly embarrassed. “Oh! Haruhi, sorry, I- how late is it?” I ask her innocently, trying to appear awake and alert. She groans and smacks her head, but a small smile slips onto her features.

“It’s 7:05 but I’ve been trying to get you up since 6:30,” she admits while letting her hand slide off of her face and fixing a glare on me. I laugh nervously and look around, trying to focus on anything else other than the unappeased brunette. 

“Haha…Well, I’m up now?” I point out, slipping out of the comforter and fixing the futon until it’s straightened out. Haruhi just rolls her eyes at me but then leaves the room. I take that as my cue to get ready and head towards the bathroom to freshen up and change.

Once the bathroom door is shut, I study my face and decide that I might need a bit of concealer to cover my eyebags. So, I dig through my bag, after washing my face, to find said concealer and a few other makeup products, too. It only takes me a few minutes to apply some very light makeup and once I’m fine with how it looks I throw on the clothes I had packed away in my bag and put on some deodorant. 

The smell of coffee floats through the air and I peek my head outside to see a slightly tired looking Ranka and Haruhi sitting down at their kotatsu. Ranka is talking about something excitedly until he looks over and sees me walking out of their bathroom. He quickly motions me over and I can’t help but notice his now lack of makeup.

“Good morning, dear. How did you sleep?” he asks in a friendly manner as soon as I’m seated and my bag is set off to the side. Haruhi slides a mug over to me that contains coffee, which I accept gratefully, and I take a sip before answering.

“Pretty well, Haruhi had some trouble waking me up this morning, though,” I admit bashfully. Ranka lets out a hearty laugh at my comment and takes a sip of his own coffee.

“That’s good to hear. Haruhi informed me that you two are going out for breakfast before you go home,” he chuckles, brushing a piece of his long hair behind his shoulder and fixing me with a stare. I nod in reply at his question, which causes him to grin and then stand up.

“Well,” he begins, popping a few bones, “I won’t keep you two waiting. By the time you get back, I’ll probably be asleep.” He extends a hand towards me, which I take gladly, and helps me up.

“It was great to meet you, Ranka,” I beam, which he mirrors.

“You as well. If you ever need anything don’t be afraid to call and if Haruhi ever gets into any trouble you know where to turn,” he agrees, pulling me into a hug. I return the embrace quickly and then he sends both Haruhi and I on our way. 

When we’re out of Haruhi’s apartment, she lets out a loud sigh and then hooks her arm around mine. “I’m glad he likes you,” she whispers while leading me down the steps. I just nod at her and then whip my phone out.

“You should meet my parents sometime, too. I think they would really like you,” I say absent-mindedly. Haruhi lets out a hum in agreement, and I slip my phone back into my pocket once I see that I have no new messages.

“There’s a cafe near here that can whip up a mean omelet. I don’t usually go there but I have a few times with my dad and it’s his favorite place to get breakfast,” Haruhi announces. The thought of food makes me excited and I notice just how hungry I actually am.

“Sounds lovely, Ms. Fujioka,” I tease the brunette. She lets out a huff of annoyance but sends me a smile regardless. 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you rich prick,” she teases back, elbowing me in the side with the arm that’s locked with mine. I let out a surprised gasp and glare at her, which just causes her grin to grow even wider.

The rest of our walk to the cafe is filled with teasing and idle chatter until Haruhi stops me suddenly and points at the restaurant. She says a quick ‘there it is’ before pulling me inside.

The smells of eggs, ham, fish, and coffee fill my nostrils and I let out a content sigh. _Nothing quite like the smell of breakfast food_. Haruhi leads me up the counter and an old lady appears with an ear-splitting grin.

“What can I get you lovely ladies?” she asks. I direct my attention towards the menu board and Haruhi does the same. Haruhi orders herself an omelet and miso soup, along with tea, before fixing her eyes on me. I order what I want, too, and then slip my wallet out. Haruhi tries to slap my hand away from the counter, and I just send her an innocent smile before giving the nice old lady a few bills. The lady laughs at our exchange and hands me back the spare change, which I slip back into my wallet. She assures us that our food will be out soon and Haruhi drags me over to a table by the window before we both sit down.

“You really need to stop paying for me,” she huffs out, adjusting her hair. I chuckle and her and lean back into my seat.

“You could just thank me, like a normal person,” I laugh. She rolls her eyes at me and then crosses her arms.

“Next time we go somewhere, _I’ll_ be paying and you better not even _think_ about bringing your wallet with you,” she declares. I wiggle my eyebrows at her and then lean on the table.

“Are you saying that you want to spend more time with me Har-u-hi,” I quiz. A groan escapes her for the 100x time today and she glares at me.

“I take it back, next time I see you it’ll be too soon,” she insults sarcastically. We both laugh at her comment until we’re interrupted by a waiter who arrives with our food and drinks. I take a bite of the meal in front of me, after thanking the waiter, and let out a content sigh.

“This is really good,” I point out, to which Haruhi nods at and takes a bite of her own food.

“What’d I say? If my dad knew we were coming here he’d probably make me bring something back for him,” she chuckles. I laugh along with her and then we both finish our meals quickly. I pull out my wallet again and put a tip down and Haruhi leads us back out into the streets of Bunkyo.

“So, any plans for the rest of the weekend?” she asks casually, steering me away from the business of the street we were just on. I contemplate for a moment, slipping a hand onto my chin, and then remember that my dads are coming home.

“Oh! Yeah, my parents will be home tomorrow morning. I haven’t seen them in about 2 weeks because they’ve been in Paris. So, I’d imagine that they have something planned,” I answer. Haruhi nods thoughtfully and focuses her attention on the sidewalk ahead of us.

“What did your mom and dad do in Paris?” she questions again. I laugh a little and then fix my stare on her.

“I have two dads, Haruhi,” embarrassment becomes evident on her features upon this statement and I look away, “But, I suppose I never told you.” I hear the brunette let out a sigh and laugh awkwardly next to me.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed,” she apologizes. I shake my head at her and then shrug.

“It’s not common around here, so I get it,” I reply.

“That’s pretty cool, though,” she admits aloud, causing me to look back at her and quirk her a smile.

“Thanks, Haruhi.” She nods at me and we drop the conversation from there. 

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

I walk out of my bedroom and down the ornate marble steps that lead to that sitting room. I spot one of our housekeepers, Mary, and send her a wave, which she gladly returns. I’m about to take a seat on one of the plush red seats in front of our fireplace when she scuttles over to me.

“Your fathers are waiting in the dining room. They just got back a half an hour ago,” she informs me in an excited manner. I smile kindly at the black-haired woman and clasp my hands together.

“Thank you, I’ll go meet them right away,” she nods at my reply and I’m sent on my way.

I peek inside of the dining room and they both spot me immediately upon my entry.

“(Y/N)!” my dad on the right, Liam, exclaims. He shoves his way out of his seat next to my other dad, Elijah, and his dark arms wrap me up in a tight hug. “I missed you so much,” he whispers, his long black hair tickling my nose a little.

“I missed you too,” I whisper back, squeezing him a bit tighter.

“What about me?” Elijah exclaims, coming over to join the hug. I unwrap one hand from Liam and pull him into the embrace, which he gladly joins. We all remain like that for a few seconds until they both pull away and Elijah puts both hands on my shoulder.

“How’s school, going, kiddo?” Elijah asks, his deep blue eyes staring deep into mine as a “tell me the truth” sort of thing.

“Good, nothing much has happened since you two left on that business trip,” I answer, which makes him grin.

“Well, your father and I got some pretty exciting news while we were away,” he admits. Liam puts a hand on my back and directs me towards the dining table to sit down. Once I’m seated, I ask them what this exciting news could possibly be.

“Well,” Liam begins, looking at Elijah for support. I raise an eyebrow at them and start to come up with some worst-case scenarios in my brain.

“An upperclassmen of yours, Kyoya Ootori-” I immediately groan and practically slam my head on the table, effectively cutting Elijah off. “(Y/N), manners,” he reminds, causing me to raise my head from my arms and urge him to continue.

“As I was _saying_ ,” a smile slips onto his lips, “Mr. Ootori has invited you to work with the- Host Club, was it, Liam?” Liam nods and he looks back at me. “ _Host Club_. He said it would be a great opportunity for you to get into contact with potential business partners and the like.”

“It was only a matter of time before he got a hold of you two,” I sigh. Both Elijah and Liam laugh at this and Liam reaches over to set his hand on Elijah’s tan one. 

“Are you not fond of Mr. Ootori?” Elijah asks. I think about his question for a second but end up shaking my head.

“No, he just sticks his nose where he shouldn’t,” I admit plainly. Another round of laughter is exchanged between the two and Liam reaches over to rest his free hand on my arm.

“Do you think you can grin and bear it, kiddo? Otherwise, we can tell him that you won’t take the offer,” he says, offering me a comforting smile. I shake my head at him again and stretch a little.

“No, I should be fine. Plus, it’ll give me more time to spend with Haruhi which wouldn’t be bad…” I mutter the last part and Elijah wriggles his red eyebrows at me, causing me to roll my eyes, playfully.

“You really should bring her over here sometime, (Y/N),” Liam reminds thoughtfully. I nod at him and try to get more comfortable in my chair.

“I will don’t worry.” 

They both seem appeased by my answer and we slip into different conversations about their trip and school. Liam eventually grabs his laptop to send out a few emails and they take me out to eat dinner with them, claiming it’s been forever since we’ve had a family dinner. I disagreed, saying that it's only been two weeks and they wave me off. All in all, I’d say it was a pretty eventful return on my parent’s part.


End file.
